bryce@hoser.berkeley.edu (Bryce Nesbitt) (01/04/88)
In article <2650@killer.UUCP> elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) writes: >...I get better performance with a SFD-1001 with any >decent IEEE card (or even not-so-decent ones like the Skyles IEEE-Flash, an >excercise in overpriced cheapness -- an EPROM, a PIA, and a couple of popcorn >TTL). Actually old versions of IEEE-Flash used to be a *lot* faster. Yes, I have an axe to grind... I designed the hardware and software for the first IEEE-Flash. After a "contract dispute" Skyles stole the hardware outright, refused to pay due royalties on sold units, and re-wrote the software to make the "new" IEEE-Flash. Vastly inferior software, by the way. In my opinion the only thing wrong with the hardware is that it is only spec'ed for a maximum of two "Commodore" style IEEE devices. Not a bad limitation considering the market. I always like input on my designs, so feel free to pick nits with the hardware. The frugalness of the design was quite intentional. The software at this point is out of my hands. Oh, yes: "As an engineer I only set the value of the product, not the price." -Bryce Nesbitt And: "All lawers are slime" (At least EVERY single one I have ever met) >For my assembler, I'm currently using CASM 2.1 (as posted to the net eons >ago) CASM is up to 3.25C. The 'C' is a hack I added in for the C-128... it pops the CPU to 2Mhz during assembly. Casm is, naturally, meant to integrate with the Texit editor. The author of all of this is dillon@cory.berkeley.EDU (ucbvax!cory!dillon). I'm not sure he will be of much help... the PET/C-64 is old history to him. He did write an Amiga-->C-64 cross-assembler system. >I solve the reboot hassle simply by having two >machines :-}. Same here. My standard setup is a cable running from one to the other via the hardware shift registers on the CIA. 'Starmon' in ROM on the destination side. Works great. >Eric Lee Green elg@usl.CSNET |\ /| . Ack! (NAK, SOH, EOT) {o O} . bryce@hoser.berkeley.EDU -or- ucbvax!hoser!bryce (or try "cogsci") (") U "Your theory is crazy... but not crazy enought to be true." -Niels Bohr
elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) (01/05/88)
in article <22385@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, bryce@hoser.berkeley.edu (Bryce Nesbitt) says: > In article <2650@killer.UUCP> elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) writes: >>...I get better performance with a SFD-1001 with any >>decent IEEE card (or even not-so-decent ones like the Skyles IEEE-Flash, an >>excercise in overpriced cheapness -- an EPROM, a PIA, and a couple of popcorn >>TTL). > > Actually old versions of IEEE-Flash used to be a *lot* faster. Yes, I have > an axe to grind... > > I designed the hardware and software for the first IEEE-Flash. After a > "contract dispute" Skyles stole the hardware outright, refused to pay > due royalties on sold units, and re-wrote the software to make the "new" > IEEE-Flash. Vastly inferior software, by the way. The design is fine. In fact, one of my own designs looks a bit, err, derived from it, albeit without the mux passthrough thingy, and with 16K of ROM instead of just 8K. The packaging stinks (puts out enough RF interference to down jets flying 10,000 feet overhead :-). As for the software... well, I don't notice it, which is about the best you can say considering. Ribbon cable... pfui. Ribbon Cable: Just Say No :-). Of course the engineer never has any input into packaging, especially after a "contract dispute". But is decent shielded cable really THAT expensive? I appreciate the warning about Skyle's tactics. Jives with what I've heard from insiders elsewhere, who say basically that Robert Skyles is an engineer who gave up engineering to become a first-class businessman, with all that THAT implies. I especially appreciate the warning because right now I have in front of me the wire-wrapped prototype of, well, something that will probably be the biggest seller ever in the C-64 hardware market... woulda been a shame if I'd sent it off to Skyles. >>For my assembler, I'm currently using CASM 2.1 (as posted to the net eons >>ago) > CASM is up to 3.25C. The 'C' is a hack I added in for the C-128... it pops > the CPU to 2Mhz during assembly. Casm is, naturally, meant to integrate with > the Texit editor. The author of all of this is dillon@cory.berkeley.EDU > (ucbvax!cory!dillon). I'm not sure he will be of much help... the PET/C-64 is > old history to him. He did write an Amiga-->C-64 cross-assembler system. Hmm, do I send mail to him to get a copy of the latest? And what's Texit? I've heard of Texed (Amiga)... really, it's a shame that I know more about Amiga PD/freeware than I do about C-64 stuff, and I don't even OWN an Amiga! -- Eric Lee Green elg@usl.CSNET Asimov Cocktail,n., A verbal bomb {cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg detonated by the mention of any Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191 subject, resulting in an explosion Lafayette, LA 70509 of at least 5,000 words.
bryce@hoser.berkeley.edu (Bryce Nesbitt) (01/06/88)
In article <2667@killer.UUCP> elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) writes: >in article <22385@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, bryce@hoser.berkeley.edu (Bryce Nesbitt) says: >> >> I designed the hardware and software for the first [Skyles] IEEE-Flash.... > >...But is decent shielded cable really THAT expensive? It about doubles the cost of the cable. The real reason nothing was done about the RFI was that I had few resources the investiage that type of stuff at the time. I really did not know much about the subject. The same design now would undergo testing. Skyles had (and I think has) *NEVER* registered *ANYTHING* with the FCC. He sells unshielded ram cards for the Amiga series, for example. Any number of his products radiate visibly on the local TV sets. If I did't have some hope that he can still be forced to pay back royalties on my products, I'd probably turn him in. Ironic that using the FCC might prove more effective to halt the unauthorized sale of my designs than the courts. BTW: Have I said it before? "Lawyers are pond-scum.", every one I have met or hired. >I appreciate the warning about Skyle's tactics. Jives with what I've heard >from insiders elsewhere... Glad to be of help. >And what's Texit? I've >heard of Texed (Amiga)... really, it's a shame that I know more about Amiga >PD/freeware than I do about C-64 stuff, and I don't even OWN an Amiga! No Amiga! Gosh, you have some after-christmas shopping to do! :-) Texit is an editor that integrates with the CASM assembler (For the C-64). From CASM type !E or some such to jump into it (The file "Texit C64" must be on the disk). >Eric Lee Green elg@usl.CSNET >{cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg DISCLAIMER: It's my distorted viewpoint you're reading. |\ /| . Ack! (NAK, SOH, EOT) {o O} . bryce@hoser.berkeley.EDU -or- ucbvax!hoser!bryce (or try "cogsci") (") U "Your theory is crazy... but not crazy enought to be true." -Niels Bohr